We might well be in the last football World Cup to feature the four-teams-per-group format in its opening stage. Unfortunately, what will replace it could make the contest less fair.

Gianni Infantino, president of the sport’s governing body FIFA, has already announced that the 2026 tournament hosted by Canada, the US and Mexico will open with 16 groups of three teams, and discussions are under way that could lead to this being used in 2022 in Qatar.